Alert archive / California / Tornado Warnings in 1991

Tornado Warning 2, NWS San Diego, CA

March 25, 1991San Diego County, California

NWS San Diego, CA issued this tornado warning at Mar 25, 1991, 4:29 PM PST for San Diego County, California. It was in force for 31 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Mar 25, 1991, 4:29 PM PST (00:29 UTC)
Expired
Mar 25, 1991, 5:00 PM PST
In force
31 min
Issued by
NWS San Diego, CA
Area
Whole counties

County San Diego County, CA

The nearest sounding before it

San Diego, CA (KNKX), launched 00:00Z, 0.5 hours before the alert went out and 47 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, San Diego, CA at 00:00Z on 1991-03-26Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 25 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, San Diego, CA at 00:00Z on 1991-03-26The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 3 square meters per square second.1939587897117136Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
25 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-4 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
942 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
99 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
3 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
107 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
-0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KSAN 260031
TORSAN
CAC073-260100-

BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO AND SPECIAL MARINE WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
429 PM PST MON MAR 25 1991

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SAN DIEGO HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO AND SPECIAL MARINE WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  500 PM PST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...

IN SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA

   ...NORTHWESTERN SAN DIEGO COUNTY

  AND FOR MARINE INTERESTS ON THE COASTAL WATERS AROUND...

  ...OCEANSIDE

A WATERSPOUT OCCURRED AT 415 PM PST, MONDAY, MARCH 25, 1991
1.6 KILOMETERS OFFSHORE FROM OCEANSIDE HARBOR. IT WAS OBSERVED
BY OCEANSIDE LIFEGUARD.  MOVEMENT WAS UNKNOWN.


IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS A
BASEMENT.  GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE.
IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM
SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.  USE BLANKETS...PILLOWS...
OR CUSHIONS TO COVER YOUR BODY.  AVOID WINDOWS.

IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY REINFORCED
BUILDING.  AS A LAST RESORT...SEEK SHELTER IN A CULVERT...DITCH
OR LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

DO NOT USE YOUR CAR TO TRY TO OUTRUN A TORNADO.  CARS ARE EASILY
TOSSED AROUND BY TORNADO WINDS.  IF YOU ARE CAUGHT IN THE PATH OF
A TORNADO...LEAVE THE CAR AND GO TO A STRONG BUILDING.  IF NO
STRUCTURE IS NEARBY...SEEK SHELTER IN A DITCH OR LOW SPOT.

SHIGEHARA

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Mar 25, 10:56 AM PST, 5 hours 33 minutes before
CAZALL-260000

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
1100 AM PST MON MAR 25 1991

...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR SAN DIEGO MOUNTAINS THROUGH TUESDAY...
...URBAN STREET FLOODING...

AN ADDITIONAL FOOT OR TWO FEET OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED IN SAN DIEGO
MOUNTAINS TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY WITH NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS CREATED
BY GUSTY WINDS.  GUSTY SOUTH WINDS TO 40 MPH AT TIMES THROUGH THIS
PERIOD.  THE SNOWELEVEL OF 3500 FEET WILL LOWER TO 2000 FEET TO 1500
FEET TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY.   THE GUSTY WINDS WILL CAUSE DRIFTING
AND BLOWING SNOW THROUGH WEDNESDAY.  THE COLD TEMPERATURES IN 20S
AT NIGHT COMBINED WITH THE STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL PRODUCE DANGEROUS
WIND CHILL FOR ANYONE EXPOSED WITHOUT PROTECTIVE CLOTHING.

MOTORISTS OR ANYONE IN THE MOUNTAINS ARE URGED TO BE PREPARED FOR
WINTER CONDITIONS AND TO CARRY CHAINS...BLANKETS AND WARM CLOTHING.
.
HEAVY SHOWERS AT TIMES AND THE SATURATED GROUNDS WILL ENCOURAGE HIGHER
RUNOFF LEADING TO URBAN STREET FLOODING PROBLEMS.  MOTORISTS ARE
URGED TO BE VERY ALERT DURING PERIODS OF HEAVY RAINFALL FOR DANGEROUS
DRIVING CONDITIONS.   AVOID FLOODED STREETS...UNDERPASSES AND PONDED
AREAS BECAUSE IT IS DIFFICULT TO ASSES THE WATER CURRENTS OR DEPTH
OF WATER.    FURTHERMORE...HIGHER RUNOFF AND SATURATED GROUNDS COULD
PRODUCE MUDSLIDES AND EROSION PROBLEMS THROUGH THE DURATIONS OF THIS
STORMY PERIOD THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

POSSIBLE THUNDERSHOWERS COULD ALSO PRODUCE HAIL A^ND PERSONS SHOULD BE
AWARE THAT FUNNEL CLOUDS...WATERSPOUTS AND EVEN A TORNADO IS POSSIBLE
FROM THE COLD UNSTALBLE CONDITIONS.  IN THE EVENT IT OCCURRS TAKE
COVER AND AVOID IF POSSIBLE.

SHIGEHARA
Special weather statement, Mar 25, 4:00 PM PST, 29 minutes before
CAZALL-260000

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
400 PM PST MON MAR 25 1991

...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR SAN DIEGO MOUNTAINS THROUGH TUESDAY...
...URBAN STREET FLOODING POSSIBLE...

AN ADDITIONAL FOOT OR TWO FEET OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED IN SAN DIEGO
MOUNTAINS TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY WITH NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS CREATED
BY GUSTY WINDS.  GUSTY SOUTH WINDS TO 40 MPH AT TIMES THROUGH THIS
PERIOD.  THE SNOWELEVEL WILL LOWER TO 2000 FEET BUT STRONG DOWNDRAFTS
WILL LOWER THE SNOWLEVEL TO 1500 FEET IN PLACES.  THE GUSTY WINDS WILL
WILL CREATE DRIFTING AND BLOWING SNOW THROUGH WEDNESDAY.  THE COLD
AT NIGHT COMBINED WITH THE STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL PRODUCE DANGEROUS
WIND CHILL IN THE TEENS FOR ANYONE EXPOSED WITHOUT PROTECTIVE CLOTHING.

PEOPLE TRAVELING IN THE MOUNTAINS ARE URGED TO BE PREPARED FOR
WINTER CONDITIONS AND TO CARRY CHAINS...BLANKETS AND WARM CLOTHING.
.
HEAVY SHOWERS AT TIMES AND THE SATURATED GROUNDS WILL ENCOURAGE HIGHER
RUNOFF LEADING TO URBAN STREET FLOODING PROBLEMS.  MOTORISTS ARE
URGED TO BE VERY ALERT DURING PERIODS OF HEAVY RAINFALL FOR DANGEROUS
DRIVING CONDITIONS.   AVOID FLOODED STREETS...UNDERPASSES AND PONDED
AREAS BECAUSE IT IS DIFFICULT TO ASSES THE WATER CURRENTS OR DEPTH
OF WATER.    FURTHERMORE...HIGHER RUNOFF AND SATURATED GROUNDS COULD
PRODUCE MUDSLIDES AND EROSION PROBLEMS THROUGH THE DURATIONS OF THIS
STORMY PERIOD THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

STRONG COLD UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE OVER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WATERS
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE STORMY CONDITIONS THROUGH WEDNESDAY ARE THE TYPE
OF CONDITIONS THAT ARE ALSO CONDUSIVE TO THE FORMATION OF FUNNEL CLOUDS
...WATERSPOUTS AND EVEN A TORNADO AND PERSONS SHOULD TAKE COVER IN CASE
ANY OF THESE DANGEROUS CONDITIONS OCCUR AND AVOID THEM AND TAKE COVER.

DRY WEATHER WILL RETURN THURSDAY AND FRIDAY UNDER DEVELOPING HIGH
PRESSURE BUT NIGHTS WILL TURN COLDER.  COLDER WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND
THURSDAY NIGHT AND GROWERS OF SAN DI[EGO COUNTY ARE ADVISED SOME
FROST PROTECTION MAY BECOME NECESSARY AS TEMPERATURES IN COLDEST
ORCHARDS FALL INTO THE MIDDLE TO UPPER 20S.

SHIGEHARA
Special weather statement, Mar 25, 4:01 PM PST, 28 minutes before
CAZALL-260000

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
400 PM PST MON MAR 25 1991

...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR SAN DIEGO MOUNTAINS THROUGH TUESDAY...
...URBAN STREET FLOODING POSSIBLE...

AN ADDITIONAL FOOT OR TWO FEET OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED IN SAN DIEGO
MOUNTAINS TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY WITH NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS CREATED
BY GUSTY WINDS.  GUSTY SOUTH WINDS TO 40 MPH AT TIMES THROUGH THIS
PERIOD.  THE SNOWELEVEL WILL LOWER TO 2000 FEET BUT STRONG DOWNDRAFTS
WILL LOWER THE SNOWLEVEL TO 1500 FEET IN PLACES.  THE GUSTY WINDS WILL
WILL CREATE DRIFTING AND BLOWING SNOW THROUGH WEDNESDAY.  THE COLD
AT NIGHT COMBINED WITH THE STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL PRODUCE DANGEROUS
WIND CHILL IN THE TEENS FOR ANYONE EXPOSED WITHOUT PROTECTIVE CLOTHING.

PEOPLE TRAVELING IN THE MOUNTAINS ARE URGED TO BE PREPARED FOR
WINTER CONDITIONS AND TO CARRY CHAINS...BLANKETS AND WARM CLOTHING.
.
HEAVY SHOWERS AT TIMES AND THE SATURATED GROUNDS WILL ENCOURAGE HIGHER
RUNOFF LEADING TO URBAN STREET FLOODING PROBLEMS.  MOTORISTS ARE
URGED TO BE VERY ALERT DURING PERIODS OF HEAVY RAINFALL FOR DANGEROUS
DRIVING CONDITIONS.   AVOID FLOODED STREETS...UNDERPASSES AND PONDED
AREAS BECAUSE IT IS DIFFICULT TO ASSES THE WATER CURRENTS OR DEPTH
OF WATER.    FURTHERMORE...HIGHER RUNOFF AND SATURATED GROUNDS COULD
PRODUCE MUDSLIDES AND EROSION PROBLEMS THROUGH THE DURATIONS OF THIS
STORMY PERIOD THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

STRONG COLD UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE OVER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WATERS
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE STORMY CONDITIONS THROUGH WEDNESDAY ARE THE TYPE
OF CONDITIONS THAT ARE ALSO CONDUSIVE TO THE FORMATION OF FUNNEL CLOUDS
...WATERSPOUTS AND EVEN A TORNADO AND PERSONS SHOULD TAKE COVER IN CASE
ANY OF THESE DANGEROUS CONDITIONS OCCUR AND AVOID THEM AND TAKE COVER.

DRY WEATHER WILL RETURN THURSDAY AND FRIDAY UNDER DEVELOPING HIGH
PRESSURE BUT NIGHTS WILL TURN COLDER.  COLDER WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND
THURSDAY NIGHT AND GROWERS OF SAN DI\EGO COUNTY ARE ADVISED SOME
FROST PROTECTION MAY BECOME NECESSARY AS TEMPERATURES IN COLDEST
ORCHARDS FALL INTO THE MIDDLE TO UPPER 20S.

THE NEXT STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AS WARRANTED.
.
SHIGEHARA

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in California, 1991Every tornado warning in 1991Tornadoes in 1991

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.